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A History of India

Over 5,000 years, India has been home to a rich tapestry of peoples and cultures. Two of the world's great religions - Hinduism and Buddhism - have their origins in South Asia, and the lands east of the Indus River have long been a central hub for trade, migration, and cultural exchange. Today the subcontinent contains 20 percent of the world's population and is a thriving center for global business, making this region one of most significant economic powerhouses in the world.

The Golden Triangle

Thailand, Laos, and Burma have been known as the "Golden Triangle" because of their historically prominent role in the drug trade. For centuries, these countries have produced the opium that has attracted traders from Europe and elsewhere. Economics, religion, and politics combine to make this area not only important but also, to the western mind, exotic.

Central Europe

Central Europe's ancient civilizations have long been dominated by empires: The Roman Empire; the Habsburg Empire, based in Austria; and more recently, the Soviet Communists. But the decline of communism in the late twentieth century has unleashed old resentments, rivalries, and ambitions that have caused yet more war in this troubled region.

The Persian Gulf States

More than half of the world's oil comes from Persian Gulf states. Political instability and religious strife here threaten to interrupt the world's economic routines. Two presentations examine the history of Persia, Iran's attempt to westernize, and the backlash of religiously fervent Moslems against the West and against each other.

Midnight's Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India's Partition

Nobody expected the liberation of India and birth of Pakistan to be so bloody - it was supposed to be an answer to the dreams of Muslims and Hindus who had been ruled by the British for centuries. Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi's protégé and the political leader of India, believed that Indians were an inherently nonviolent, peaceful people. Pakistan's founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was a secular lawyer, not a firebrand.

The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East

In The Fall of the Ottomans, award-winning historian Eugene Rogan brings the First World War and its immediate aftermath in the Middle East to vivid life, uncovering the often ignored story of the region's crucial role in the conflict.

China

Since Marco Polo, the fabled markets of China have drawn the West like a magnet. This ancient culture has been colonized by foreign powers, buffeted by war and revolution, yet China remains one of the most constant of international influences. It is a sleeping giant. Many fear, and some welcome, its awakening. This presentation examines both the changing and constant face that China has offered to the world.

The Story of India

Michael Wood weaves a spellbinding narrative out of the 10,000-year history of India. Home today to more than a fifth of the world's population, the subcontinent gave birth to the oldest and most influential civilization on Earth, to four world religions, and to the world's largest democracy. Now, as India bids to become a global giant, Michael sets out to trace the roots of India's present in the incredible riches of her past.

Germany

Germany is historically one of the most important of all nations. Since emerging from its days as a Roman province, Germany (including Prussia) has had a central role in European affairs. It has reached the heights in art, music, literature, and political power, yet it's also reached the depths in humiliating military defeat and partition. This presentation reviews the broad sweep of German history.

The Mediterranean Basin

The lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea contain some of the oldest cultures on Earth. Italy and the other countries of Europe and North Africa have played a central role in various expanding empires, and also in shrinking fortunes. This presentation explores the broad sweep of history in one of the cradles of civilization.

The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin

The epic tale of the rise to power of Russia's current president - the only complete biography in English - that fully captures his emergence from shrouded obscurity and deprivation to become one of the most consequential and complicated leaders in modern history, by the former New York Times Moscow bureau chief.

The Middle East

By the end of World War I, Britain had promised control of Palestine to both Arabs and Jews. Each of these peoples claimed a longstanding right to the same piece of land, and violence was inevitable. This presentation examines how and why this magical land has become a virtual war zone.

Cuba

This island was once a clearinghouse for importing slaves into the New World. It later became one of the world's few remaining bastions of Marxism, proclaiming socio-economic equality. In both forms, Cuba has played a unique and dramatic role in American affairs. This presentation focuses on Cuba's economic and social upheaval, with special attention to how this has affected the United States.

Ethiopia

This rich culture of East Africa, known in the Bible as Abyssinia, claims descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Under a Marxist regime, however, this ancient people has suffered from famine and genocide. This presentation chronicles the heartbreak of Ethiopia, which mirrors many of the crises besieging the third-world countries of Africa.

Mexico

In 1540, Mexico was declared to be New Spain. With a diverse culture, and great natural resources, it should have prospered like its northern neighbor. But Mexico's history includes political corruption, war, revolution, and grinding poverty. Why has the fate of Mexico been so different than that of the United States?

The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State

How did the Islamic State attract so many followers and conquer so much land? By being more ruthless, more apocalyptic, and more devoted to state building than its competitors. The shrewd leaders of the Islamic State combined two of the most powerful yet contradictory ideas in Islam - the return of the Islamic Empire and the end of the world - into a mission and a message that shapes its strategy and inspires its army of zealous fighters.

The Philippines

Strategically located, the Philippine Islands have been one of the keys to American policy in the Pacific. But this loose island chain has a better history, vacillating between oppression and rebellion. America's military installations here ensure that she will be caught in any Filipino conflict.

Central America

A cluster of five countries, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, are commonly referred to as Central America. Although these nations differ in their histories and politics, they share at least one factor; they have been caught up in the turmoil of America's foreign policy in this region. This audiobook depicts the chain of events that have led to the Central America we view on television.

The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution

Following his blockbuster biography of Steve Jobs, The Innovators is Walter Isaacson’s revealing story of the people who created the computer and the Internet. It is destined to be the standard history of the digital revolution and an indispensable guide to how innovation really happens. What were the talents that allowed certain inventors and entrepreneurs to turn their visionary ideas into disruptive realities? What led to their creative leaps? Why did some succeed and others fail?

Colombia and Panama

Colombia in the 1980s became known for its role in the illegal drug trade, and for political instability and violence caused by this problem. But much of this is a recent development in Colombia's history that began in the 1530s, when Spain conquered local Indian kingdoms. This is the story of how Spain's "new Granada" evolved into Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, and modern Colombia.

Nigeria and West Africa

With a culture dating back to at least 700 B.C., West Africa has a long and rich history. British influence after the 16th century, and especially in the 18th century, changed the region's course. By 1967, Nigeria was at war with itself, with the "Republic of Biafra" produced in Nigeria's eastern region. Over a million people perished. This is the story of Nigeria's struggle, which typifies the history and outlook of the West African region.

Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making

Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.

Foundation: The History of England from Its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors: The History of England, Book 1

In Foundation the chronicler of London and of its river, the Thames, takes us from the primeval forests of England's prehistory to the death of the first Tudor king, Henry VII, in 1509. He guides us from the building of Stonehenge to the founding of the two great glories of medieval England: common law and the cathedrals. He shows us glimpses of the country's most distant past - a Neolithic stirrup found in a grave, a Roman fort, a Saxon tomb, a medieval manor house.

Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills

No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.

Publisher's Summary

As one of the world's most ancient civilizations, India presents a rich mosaic of political, religious, and cultural influences. In 1947 this vast region was split; Pakistan was created to separate Moslems from Hindus, and millions died. Strife and political troubles continue to plague India.

The World's Political Hot Spots series explains the basis of conflicts in some of the world's most politically sensitive areas. Many of these regions are in today's headlines, and tensions recently have become violent in virtually all of them. Each presentation covers up to 10 centuries of background, revealing how and why today's problems occur.